The Canon HV20 uses a minDV tape, which is pictured here.
The Canon HV20 is a camcorder that uses physical tape to record its footage. This feature results in excellent quality, but at a cost: tapes must be purchased for the camera to be functional.
The Format
The HV20 uses a physical tape format called a miniDV tape. This tape is almost two inches tall (1-15/16 inches) and 2-5/8 inches long. It uses the same encoding technique as a standard DV tape, but is smaller in size and records 60 minutes of content. Sony recommends the HD version of miniDV tapes for the HV20, but both types work.
Common Uses
MiniDV tapes are a standard within the telecommunication industry. They are especially popular in news and guerilla TV productions. Due to their smaller size, they can fit in smaller, more portable cameras. They have replaced older analog version of storage because they store content digitally.
Pricing and Availability
As of 2010, a miniDV tape can be purchased for between $2 to $4, while HD miniDVs sell for about $6 to $8. Due to their popularity, they can be bought from most electronics retailers, such as Walmart and Amazon.
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